1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote control system for a home appliance network and a method for operating the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a remote control system for a home appliance network and a method for updating information of the same, the system and method enabling a central portal server to manage a plurality of home servers by allowing a home server to transmit a key message containing an IP (Internet Protocol) address so that an existing IP address stored in a database of the central portal server can be updated to a new IP address when the home server, using a dynamic IP, is connected to the central portal server.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, home-appliance network systems that connect a plurality of home appliances to a network installed inside a home or building have proliferated. In addition, the construction of a system for remotely controlling the home appliances, so that the home appliances can be remotely controlled from inside a home or outside a building, using a terminal connected to the Internet has become popular.
Accordingly, a user can remotely input a control command that is processed by a central portal server that controls an entire home appliance network connected to a plurality of home servers. The central portal server can request the home servers to perform an operation corresponding to the remotely inputted control command by exchanging data with the home servers.
However, a typical home receives a fixed IP (Internet Protocol) address or dynamic IP address from an Internet service provider to which the home subscribes so that the home can be connected to an Internet network. Installation cost and maintenance cost are incurred for using Internet service provided to a fixed IP address. Since a usage rate is remarkably low as compared with the service costs, many homes use an Internet connection service providing a dynamic IP address.
Thus, because a newly allocated dynamic IP address is different from an existing IP address that is inputted into the central portal server whenever a home appliance network using the Internet connection service is connected to the Internet, there is a disadvantage in that the central portal server does not appropriately connect to the home server. Hence, the home servers cannot be adequately managed and remotely controlled by the central portal server.